Tool box tray structure

ABSTRACT

A tool box tray structure includes a molded recess for mounting hand tools of different types. The molded recess includes a first layer having a first color and a second layer having a second color bonded on the first layer. Thus, the tool box tray structure is made of different colors of PET plates which are worked by a secondary heat press process to form the tool box tray structure having different colors, thereby facilitating the user identifying the kinds of the hand tools by the color contrast.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tool box tray structure, and moreparticularly to a tool box tray structure made of different colors ofPET plates which are worked by a secondary heat press process to formthe tool box tray structure having different colors, therebyfacilitating the user identifying the kinds of the hand tools by thecolor contrast.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional tool box comprises a main body consisting of a top coverand a bottom cover, and a tool box tray mounted on the main body andlocated between the top cover and the bottom cover for storing handtools of different types. However, the tool box tray only has a singlecolor, so that the user cannot identify the size and type of the handtool by the color of the tool box tray, thereby causing inconvenience tothe user in identification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tool boxtray structure that has a double-color molded recess having a firstcolor provided by the one-color tray and a second color provided by thePET plate.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box traystructure, wherein the PET plate is bonded on the first receivingrecesses and the second receiving recesses of the molded recess, and thesize indication zones of the molded recess is formed by the one-colortray so as to provide a color contrast, thereby facilitating the useridentifying the kinds of the hand tools by the color contrast of theone-color tray and the PET plate having different colors.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a tool boxtray structure, wherein the tool box tray structure is made of the PETmaterial having a greater tensile strength and a greater bendingstrength to enhance the strength of the molded recess, so that the toolbox tray structure can be used to support heavier hand tools.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a tool boxtray structure, wherein each of the size indication zones of the moldedrecess is provided with a size indication mark, so that the user canidentify the size of the hand tool by the color of each of the sizeindication zones of the molded recess and by the size indication mark ofthe respective size indication zone.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tool boxtray structure, comprising:

-   -   a molded recess for mounting hand tools of different types;    -   the molded recess including a first layer having a first color        and a second layer having a second color bonded on the first        layer.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of a tool box tray structure in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of the tool box tray structure in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of the tool box tray structure in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of the tool box tray structure in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tool box in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the tool box traystructure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6A is a partially enlarged view of the tool box tray structure asshown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of a tool box tray structure in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the blank of the toolbox tray structure in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of a tool box tray structure in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of a tool box tray structure in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan cross-sectional view showing the formingprocess of a tool box tray structure in accordance with anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the tool box traystructure in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 5 and 6, a tool box inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a main body 1, and a tool box tray structure 10 mounted on themain body 1. The tool box tray structure 10 is formed with adouble-color molded recess 3 for mounting hand tools of different types.

The molded recess 3 includes a plurality of first receiving recesses 31each having the shape of a screwdriver handle for receiving ascrewdriver handle 40, a plurality of second receiving recesses 32 eachhaving the shape of a screwdriver shank for receiving a screwdrivershank 41, and a plurality of size indication zones 33 for indicating thesize of the screwdriver shank 41.

The tool box tray structure 10 is preferably made of PET (polyethyleneterephthalate) material having a greater tensile strength (500 kgf/cm²)and a greater bending strength (700 kgf/cm²). In addition, the tool boxtray structure 10 is formed by a heat press process.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the tool boxtray structure 10 is manufactured by the following methods.

First of all, a first PET plate 20 is placed into a first forming mold30. The first forming mold 30 is formed with the molded recess 3including a plurality of first receiving recesses 31 each having a sizeslightly greater than that of the screwdriver handle 40, a plurality ofsecond receiving recesses 32 each having a size slightly greater thanthat of the screwdriver shank 41, and a plurality of size indicationzones 33 for indicating the size of the screwdriver shank 41. Then, thefirst forming mold 30 is closed and heated to a predeterminedtemperature, so that the first PET plate 20 placed in the first formingmold 30 is softened and is bonded in the molded recess 3 of the firstforming mold 30 as shown in FIG. 1, thereby forming a one-color tray 11(see FIG. 2). Then, the one-color tray 11 is cooled and removed from themolded recess 3 of the first forming mold 30.

Then, the one-color tray 11 is placed into a second forming mold 50having the same form as that of the one-color tray 11 as shown in FIG.2. Then, a second PET plate 21 is placed into the second forming mold 50and is rested on the one-color tray 11. The second PET plate 21 has acolor different from that of the one-color tray 11. Then, the secondforming mold 50 is closed and heated to a predetermined temperature asshown in FIG. 3, so that the second PET plate 21 placed in the secondforming mold 50 is softened and is bonded in the molded recess 3 of theone-color tray 11 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thereby forming adouble-color tool box tray structure 10 as shown in FIG. 4. Then, thedouble-color tool box tray structure 10 is cooled and removed from thesecond forming mold 50.

In such a manner, as shown in FIGS. 4-6, the tool box tray structure 10includes a one-color tray 11, and a PET plate 21 mounted on theone-color tray 11 and having a color different from that of theone-color tray 11. Thus, the tool box tray structure 10 has adouble-color molded recess 3 having a first color provided by theone-color tray 11 and a second color provided by the PET plate 21.Preferably, the PET plate 21 is bonded on the first receiving recesses31 and the second receiving recesses 32 of the molded recess 3, and thesize indication zones 33 of the molded recess 3 is formed by theone-color tray 11 so as to provide a color contrast, therebyfacilitating the user identifying the kinds of the hand tools by thecolor contrast of the one-color tray 11 and the PET plate 21 havingdifferent colors.

In addition, the tool box tray structure 10 is made of the PET materialhaving a greater tensile strength and a greater bending strength toenhance the strength of the molded recess 3, so that the tool box traystructure 10 can be used to support heavier hand tools.

Further, each of the size indication zones 33 of the molded recess 3 isprovided with a size indication mark 34 (see FIG. 6A), so that the usercan identify the size of the hand tool by the color of each of the sizeindication zones 33 of the molded recess 3 and by the size indicationmark 34 of the respective size indication zone 33.

Referring to FIGS. 7-12, a tool box tray structure 10A in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein theconstruction of the tool box tray structure 10A is substantially similarto that of the tool box tray structure 10, and the differencetherebetween is described as follows.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first PET plate 20A has a plurality of hollowportions to mate with the molded recess 3, so that after the one-colortray 11A is formed, the molded recess 3 of the one-color tray 11A has ahollow bottom as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the one-color tray 11A is placedinto the second forming mold 50 having the same form as that of theone-color tray 11 as shown in FIG. 9. Then, the second PET plate 21 isplaced into the second forming mold 50 and is rested on the one-colortray 11A. Then, the second forming mold 50 is closed and heated to apredetermined temperature as shown in FIG. 10, so that the second PETplate 21 placed in the second forming mold 50 is softened and is bondedin the molded recess 3 of the one-color tray 11A as shown in FIG. 10,thereby forming a double-color tool box tray structure 10A as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12. Then, the double-color tool box tray structure 10A iscooled and removed from the second forming mold 50.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A tool box tray structure, comprising: a molded recess for mountinghand tools of different types; the molded recess including a first layerhaving a first color and a second layer having a second color bonded onthe first layer.
 2. The tool box tray structure in accordance with claim1, wherein the tool box tray structure includes a one-color tray, and acolored plate mounted on the one-color tray and having a color differentfrom that of the one-color tray.
 3. The tool box tray structure inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the colored plate is made of PETmaterial.
 4. The tool box tray structure in accordance with claim 1,wherein the molded recess includes a plurality of first receivingrecesses, a plurality of second receiving recesses, and a plurality ofsize indication zones.
 5. The tool box tray structure in accordance withclaim 4, wherein each of the first receiving recesses has the shape of ascrewdriver handle for receiving a screwdriver handle.
 6. The tool boxtray structure in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of the secondreceiving recesses has the shape of a screwdriver shank for receiving ascrewdriver shank.
 7. The tool box tray structure in accordance withclaim 6, wherein each of the size indication zones indicates the size ofthe screwdriver shank.
 8. The tool box tray structure in accordance withclaim 4, wherein the tool box tray structure includes a one-color trayand a colored plate, the colored plate is bonded on the first receivingrecesses and the second receiving recesses of the molded recess, and thesize indication zones of the molded recess is formed by the one-colortray.
 9. The tool box tray structure in accordance with claim 4, whereineach of the size indication zones of the molded recess is provided witha size indication mark, so that the user can identify the size of thehand tool by the color of each of the size indication zones of themolded recess and by the size indication mark of the respective sizeindication zone.
 10. The tool box tray structure in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the tool box tray structure is made of PET material.11. The tool box tray structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefirst layer of the molded recess has a hollow portion connected to thesecond layer of the molded recess.
 12. The tool box tray structure inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the hollow portion of the first layerof the molded recess is formed on a bottom of the first layer of themolded recess.